David Stanton (Cork East, Fine Gael)
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I thank you, a Cheann Comhairle, for allowing me raise this matter relating to Kilcredan national school. I am sure the Minister of State has a note on it.

Next September the school will have an average class size of more than 30 students and I am sure everyone agrees that this is not sustainable. Some of the classes will have 36, 37 or possibly 38 students. It is not right to have a junior infants class with such numbers and it flies in the face of every educational philosophy and good practice out there.

On 30 September 2006 the enrolment was 227. Some 205 is the number required for eight mainstream class teachers. The projected enrolment for next September is 247. The number required to qualify for a ninth mainstream teacher is 232 on 30 September 2006.

This practice of looking at the numbers of the previous September is antiquated and daft, especially when there is such a large increase in the course of the year. The school was five pupils short, yet during the year it accepted nine extra children, five of whom were from outside the country. In September the school will have 36 in junior infants, 24 in senior infants and 27 in both fourth class and fifth class. Other Ministers in the House who were primary teachers will see that this is not right.

This was an amalgamated school, which had it not amalgamated, would have been three separate schools. The schools agreed and co-operated with the Department and came together as one, and they have lost out as a result.

The students and the teachers are suffering. I know that the appeals board has turned them down and that the Minister will tell me that. That is daft as well. We need to look at the future of our pupils. If they fall behind at an early age, as teachers here will be aware, it is difficult for them to catch up. Having 37 or 40 junior infants in a class is not sustainable. It is daft. The Government has been saying the average class size should be 24 and here is a practical example of where the average class size is over 30. That cannot continue.

I do not know what the Minister of State can do about it. I hope he can do something, that he will not merely wring his hands and state that we must adhere to the decision of the appeals board which is independent. I do not accept that. We must change the rules so that in cases like this there can be more flexibility built into the system and extra teachers appointed when they are needed for the sake of the pupils. The situation is akin to sardines in tins.

I look forward with some, although not much, hope to the Minister of State's reply. I ask him to give me a commitment to look at this again or at least to look at the entire system again because it is just not working in its current guise.

John O'Donoghue (Kerry South, Ceann Comhairle)
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Now we will see if the Minister can open the tin.

Seán Haughey (Dublin North Central, Fianna Fail)
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I thank the Deputy for raising this matter on the Adjournment today. I am glad to have the opportunity to outline the position regarding this school.

The mainstream staffing of a primary school is determined by reference to the enrolment of the school on 30 September of the previous school year. The actual number of mainstream posts sanctioned is determined by reference to a staffing schedule which is issued to all primary schools each year.

Data submitted to the Department by the board of management of the school referred to by the Deputy indicates that the enrolment in the school on 30 September 2005 was 229 pupils. In accordance with the staffing schedule, Circular 0023/2006, which is available on the Department's website at www.education.ie, the mainstream staffing in the school for the 2006-07 school year is a principal and eight mainstream class teachers.

The enrolment in the school on 30 September 2006 was 227 pupils. In accordance with the staffing schedule, Circular 0020/2007, which is available on the Department's website and a hard copy of which has issued to all primary schools, the mainstream staffing in the school for the 2007-08 school year will be a principal and eight mainstream class teachers.

Within the terms of the staffing arrangements for primary schools there is provision for additional posts, referred to as developing school posts, to be assigned to schools on the basis of projected enrolments for the next school year. Under these arrangements, a developing school post may be sanctioned provisionally where the projected enrolment at 30 September of the school year in question equals or exceeds a specified figure. If the specified figure is not achieved on 30 September, sanction for the post is withdrawn.

It is open to the board of management to submit an appeal under certain criteria to an independent appeal board established to adjudicate on appeals on mainstream staffing allocations in primary schools. Details of the criteria and application dates for appeal are contained in the staffing schedule. They are also available in circular 0024/2007, which is available on the Department's website. Hard copies of this circular were issued to primary schools.

The school referred to lodged an appeal with the primary staffing appeal board. This appeal was heard at the appeal board meeting on 22 May 2007 and was refused. The board of management of the school was notified in writing of the decision of the appeal board on 24 May 2007. The appeal board operates independently of the Minister and the Department and its decision is final. The Deputy will appreciate that it would not be appropriate for the Minister to intervene in the operation of the independent appeal board.